Christian Quijas makes his first appearance Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court on a prison riot charge.
Victor Manuel Vivanco Reyes makes his first appearance Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court on a prison riot charge.
Aaron Toleafoa makes his first appearance Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court on a prison riot charge.
Four inmates of Chehalis’ Green Hill School are facing felony charges for a scuffle occurring in May between rival gang members.
Christian A. Quijas, 17, Victor M. Vivanco-Reyes, 19, Aaron A. Toleafoa, 20, and Seth L. Friendly, 19, have all been charged with one count of prison riot, a class B felony.
Friendly has since been transferred to state Department of Corrections custody and is scheduled to make his first appearance on the prison riot charge on Friday afternoon. The other three inmates made their first appearance on these charges on Wednesday afternoon.
Green Hill, recently transferred from management by the state Department of Social and Health Services to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families, is a medium to maximum-security facility for male juvenile offenders.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on May 2, but was not reported to police until June 4.
Green Hill Staff reported that, on May 2, one staff member was transporting about 15 inmates from their unit to another part of the complex, while another staff member was transporting other residents from another unit that were rival gang members with inmates in the first group.
According to court documents, Friendly, in the first group, started yelling at inmates in the second group. Two other inmates, including Vivanco-Reyes and another inmate not charged as a co-defendant with this group, allegedly broke away and began punching a member of the other group.
Quijas and another inmate then allegedly also broke away and started throwing punches. Toleafoa was allegedly the last inmate to become involved in the brawl.
Quijas, Vivanco-Reyes, Toleafoa and Friendly were all charged as co-defendants. Those who are still in Green Hill custody will remain there pending the resolution of this case.
According to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects have extensive criminal history. Vivanco-Reyes has convictions for drive-by shooting, first-degree assault and possession of a stolen firearm. Toleafoa has convictions for first-degree attempted murder and stealing a vehicle and Quijas has a conviction for second-degree murder.
